Chapter Two

I didn't know that there will be a day where i won't like going out even just outside my room but I forced myself.

The School Director told me that i should be in her office at 7:00 in the morning but i found myself three in the morning rushing myself to get ready just to get to there earlier without anyone knowing.

Ada didn't have the time to question me the next day about why i came back with the school director and with the head mistress at kung bakit wala kaming punishment gayong naabutan kami ng curfew sa labas ng mga room namin.I know she'll ask right away but then she's out the next day dahil my group meeting daw sila tungkol sa isang project.

I break two records this time,my usual 5:00 am get up and this thing about the school that Ada still didn't know.

When I get in to the building and to the last floor where the Director's office are placed I didn't bother to turn on the lights.I used my flashlight to see where I am going.

Ada doesn't have any idea what's going on and I can't afford having someone see me sneaking up here.What could be my reason when they know I shouldn't be here?Even though I am a valedictorian ,I am not that close to the Director.She just usually lock herself here.Sa mga teachers siya nakikipag-usap ,maybe she met the two president of both the highschool and college department,still there's no way she will ask for me.

Pero hindi ko rin naman pwedeng ipagpaliban 'to.The Director can only nod at everything that Ansel told her kaya naman nawalan ako ng time para sabihin ang opinyon ko but i know what i should do.Nagulantang lang ako dahil sa mga biglaang pangyayari.Ngayong nadatnan ko na ang sarili ko sa ganitong sitwasyon isa lang ang naiintindihan ko.

I'm not going to accept it.

I know this could be an early way out pero kagaya ng ilang mga naisip ko.Mahirap ng gumamit ng ibang tao para lang mangyari ang gusto kong mangyari.Isa pa,ilang buwan na lang naman ang bibilangin ko kaya hindi na din naman iyon gan'ong magtatagal.

Isinuot ko pa ang makapal na suit na katerno ng school uniform bago itinali ang basa at lampas balikat kong buhok.Minsan pa lang ako nakapunta dito at iyon ay  'yong kasama ko ang President dahil sa dadayo kami ng ibang school.

I realize then,that it was the time where they would pick a student who will go and compete.This school ranks 100 best students.50 sa highschool department at 50 sa College Department.

I wouldn't want to be pick but it was unusual kahit na natapos ko na ang dalawang Quiz Bee na sinalihan ko.Malapit na rin ang intrams kaya naman okay na siguro akong mag-no kung sakali dahil hindi lang naman ako ang pwedeng ipacompete. I don't excel in every subject too so that will settle it.

I have put a lot of time ahead of me that every little things inside the office was traced by my eyes.The wooden style floor,the big rectangular boards opposite of each other where all the teachers/professors profile was put even the vines that hang around it captured my eyes.I took my time reading each of the subject they're teaching as i comb my mid length brown hair.

Mula sa maliit at pahabang bintana sa office nakita ko na ang pagsungaw na liwang.Nahugot ko tuloy ang cellphone ko sa bulsa para tignan ang oras.

6:03am

Anong oras ba dapat nandito ang School Director?7:00 din?Itinaas ko ang suot kong medyas kahit na hanggang tuhod ko na ang haba no'n.Iniisip ko pa lang kung anong gagawin ko sa 50 minutes na ipaghihintay ko sa Director ng tumunog ang cellphone para sa isang tawag.Kunot ang noo na sinagot ko 'yon pero hindi kaagad nagsalita.

"Are you up already?"that familiar voice hangs up on my mind till that night.My brain immediately know who the caller is.

He cleared his throat."This is Ansel"

Hindi ako nagsalita.Somehow this felt a little bit strange.I'm now talking to somebody on the phone,and the funny thing is, it was a guy.

"I'm sorry .Did i wake you up?"marahan ulit niyang tanong. I tilt my head when I notice that I can't picture the man I met that night to the one I am talking to right now. I can actually picture the Ansel Millano that i met in the mansion.The one who offered me a gift.

Naguguluhan na sumagot ako."Not really Mr.Millano"

Is it possible?To see the same man in different way?The one that I met in a mansion left me a gentle smile.My family look up to him and feel his powerful presence that I think I didn't notice at all.I just get to the actual fact after I met him that night.I felt a strong presence of a boss as I stared at his commanding stance.

It's possible for me?That's why I got blank that night at hindi ko talaga naisip ang gusto niyang ipagawa sa akin.

"So ...where are you?"I look at the door trying to find the little comfort that my mind suddenly let out.

"Director's Office"

"You're up already"gulat niyang sabi.

"Yes"something wrong with that?

"I get up earlier baka kasi may makakita sa akin papunta dito.The Director told me to be here at 7:00"I informed him.This is a casual talk,isn't it.I don't think I've ever had this kind of talk to any guy .

"Azazel.."he called me.

"You don't want them to know you're the new owner?"he assumed.

"I won't be accepting this"sandaling natigil ang nasa kabilang linya.I picture the man in the mansion who stayed silent all of a sudden.

"Why?It's a birthday gift"

"You can just get me a simple gift but this one, it's too much—"

"You don't want my gift?"nangunot ang noo ko sa tanong na'yon.It made my mind travelled back to all of my thoughts why it lead me to this kind of decision.

"Kanino na ngayon 'yan mapupunta?"

I don't know?To you?Why is he asking me.Why ask me now.Ngumiwi ako sa naisip ko ng maalalang hindi din naman kami malapit.That would be awkward too if I said no.

"You can give it to my mom"because that will be better.Ansel treats her right.She seems happy around him so let's just get to the point . Don't bother including me.

Tahimik ulit.Nagkaroon tuloy ako ng kaunting kaba. It's okay to turn down a gift right?Masyado itong malaki para sa akin.He should be give it to my mom dahil sila ang magkaugnay?

"Being a School Director requires a lot of things and i am still a student"I feel a little bit wrong kaya naman dinugtungan ko ang sinabi ko.

"I can appoint anyone i want Azazel.If I want to appoint you they can't do anything about that"pumikit ako.Okay...

"I don't know how to be a School Director Mr.Millano"

"Ansel"singit niya.Natigil ako sandali bago bumuntong hininga.

"I'm a running valedictorian.I don't have time to teach myself things ...about this"dahilan ko pa.

I doubt it Azazel.Naisip ko.I am always busy with School stuffs pero magagawan ko ng oras ang bagay na'to kung gugustuhin ko.

Para makasiguro na wala na siyang iba pang maidadahilan dinagdagan ko pa ulit 'yon.

"Tsaka isa pa.No one will believe in me.Who would listen to a student?"facts Ansel.Listen to this facts.

"Everyone will question me"mababang pahayag ko.

I wanted it to point it out to him.Ansel surely knows what kind of responsibility is this.Everyone will question the happenings.They will question why I am the owner suddenly.Tsaka isa pa kaunti lang ang may alam sa balitang may iba na ngang may-ari.I didn't believe it right away,paano pa kaya ang ibang estudyante na hindi man lang narinig ang mga sabi-sabi?

The long pause made me think negatively about what he suddenly think about me.Does he think I am ungrateful?But I'm not.It's just too much.I am about to say my sorry and appreciation when I heard him cleared his throat.

"Ciethre Azazel Torres Aldridge"I became attentive when I heard my full name.

"The school is under that name"napatayo ako mula sa pagkakasandal sakto sa pagtapak ng Director sa floor kung nasaan ako.

Ngumiti siya at lumakad palapit.Unti-unti kong naibaba sa gilid ko ang cellphone.Nahati ang utak ko sa kagustuhang sagutin pa siya sa huli niyang sinabi pero iniaabot na sa akin ng Director ang kamay niya.I put up my tight smile bago inabot ang kamay niya.

"I am Diva Lizares"

"Ciethre Azazel Aldridge"ngumiti siya at tumango bago binitawan ang kamay ko.

"You are the new owner of this school now.Congratulations"ngiting-ngiti ng bati niya sa akin habang binubuksan ang pinto.When we entered I saw a set of table and chair .Shelves of books and a big cabinet.May halaman ulit sa mga gilid at ilan pang lalagyan.

As I turn around to look at the place it made me think I was suddenly an adult.The room made me feel I'm too old.The lights were dimmer and the temperature is colder.Lumipat ang tingin ko sa Director habang inaayos ang suot ko.Tumingin din siya doon.

"Kailangan mo pa ng mas makakapal na damit kapag maglalagi ka dito.You are still a student so you can only attend some of your classes just like today.You need to arrange your schedule after this.Sa Friday at Saturday dito ka na lang din maglalagi.You won't have enough time to learn everything in just a week so you reall need to do that"

"Let's start?"

It already messed up my schedules!

One pm and I am out of the office.Pwede namang ipabigay na akong ang pagkain pero nasusuffocate ako sa loob.Naglakad ako palapit sa dormitory.Doon ako sa dining kakain .Nahilot ko ang batok ko dahil sa ngawit.I am reading all the schools improvements till the present.The history,the board members ,founders and everything that made this school better.

It was so boring that I wanted to sleep hindi nga lang pwede dahil sa madalas ang tanong sa akin ng Director.I am thanking every god in heaven when I was told to attend the last class that day.After kumain ay bumalik ako doon at pinilit pang basahin ang folders about sa Owner noon pero sa kabutihang palad naisip ng Director na uma-attend ng last class.

Pababa pa lang ay patigil-tigil na akong naghanap ng notebook sa bag ko chinecheck kung dala ko ang Physics notebook dahil iyon ay ang last subject namin.

Nakababa na ako ng mahugot ko ang notebook sa bag sabay ang pagtaas ng tingin.My smile got fix when I saw that familiar car infront of the gate.Nalingon ko kaagad ang paligid.I was just there the other day.Why would they ask for me again?

Sa pagitan ng pagkayamot ,lumakad ako palapit .Lumabas sandali ang driver at binuksan ang pintuan sa backseat.The Lady guard opened the gate.I offered her a smile and walk out.

"Sandali lang po ako"

I wonder if it's something important.Ano nanaman kaya ang sasabihin ng mama ko?Hindi ko pinansin ang biyahe dahil mas nanghinayang ako sa subject na na-miss ko.

"Thank you"I muttered to the one who open the door for me.Dumeretso ako sa loob ,sa library kung saan nadatnan ko si Maggie wearing her red maxi dress,hair in updo and hands on gloves.

Nilingon niya ako at binigyan ng mataray ng tingin.

"Did Ansel already gave you the school Azazel?"I stared at her didn't know what to say.Hindi ko alam kung nagkaintindihan na ba kami ni Ansel sa huli naming pag-uusap kaya naman hindi ko alam kung anong eksaktong sasabihin ko ngayon.Umiling siya it was like she took it as a yes from me.

"He wants to have my yes so badly that he even gave you a school"ngumiti siya pero kalaunan ay umismid.

"Hindi naman na niya kailangang paluguran ka pa para lang makuha iyon.Hindi ka naman importante"maanghang niyang sabi at binalingan ang lamesa.Dahan-dahan akong kumuha ng hininga.I have to let it go just like how I let go of million things I really wanted to say.I cleared my mind of every possible words my mouth can say.Mahirap ng lumabas silang walang pahintulot ko.Inayos ko ang pagkakatayo ko malapit sa pinto.

Nilingon niya ako tinititigan ang suot kong uniform.She scoffed and roll her eyes.Nangunot ang noo ko sa mga pinaggagawa niya.

"Anyway I just want to remind you that you have to let him know that you're approved of him"she smiled sweetly.

"I can't wait to marry him"